Electric heating unit



July 17, 1928.

J. C. WOODSON ELECTRIC HEATING UNIT Filed June 23, 1925 G a g a m a f f :1 10 F? J u 5 o m 3 a A L. i M fl p. 9%? 1 w bl r mm 2 6 6 4 7 m 2 25 taken on the line III-III 35 sired contour and of any Patented July 17,: 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

was c. woonson,

OF EAST PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING-.

VANIA.

ELECTRIC HEATING UNIT Application filed June 23, 1925. Serial No. 38.979

My invention relates to electric heating and particularly to electric heating units. An object of my invention is to provide a substantially open heating unit comprising {a minimum number of parts that shall be easiily and quickly assembled and disassem- 1e In practicing my invention, I provide a skeleton metal frame of substantially nonexidizable material, having a plurality of parallel-extending grooves therein. A. plurality of resistor-supporting members, of electric insulating material, arelocated within the respective grooves and are rovided fi'with'means for receiving-a relative y heavy 'preformed'resist'or member extending therethrough and therebeyond, and distributed "substantially uniformly over the surface of the skeleton metal frame. In the single sheet of drawings,

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a heat-, ing unit embodying my invention. ig. 2 is a view in side Fig. 3 is a view in vertical lateral section of Fig. 1-, Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of a modified form of heating unit embodying my invention, and Fi 5 is a view, tion t ereof. 3

An electric heating unit, designated generally byv the numeral 11, comprises a skeleton metal frame that is referably cast to the l desired formv and is ma e in suitable or dedesired dimensions. As shown particularly in Fig. 1 of the drawings, it comprises a plurality of laterally-extending portions 13, 14 and'15l0- cated respectively at the ends and at the in sideelevation, of a porintermediate portionthereof. "These members are connected by a plurality of more or less radially-extending arms, although the particular form of the connecting arms is not of particular moment except in so far as it is desirable to provide a relatively stiff meal structure located'in substantially one lane that will have a minimum heat-storage capacity and weight.

The members 13 and 14 and 15 are provided, at the upper surface, with over-hang: I

ing portions to provide a groove of overhung channel section, which groove is designated'by. the numeral 16. A plurality of elevation thereof, 1

, stated, the length relatively small refractory members 17, of I electric-insulating material, having lower end portions that are shaped to fit closely within the over-hung channel 16, and which are provided with semi-cylindrical grooves 18 extending laterally therethrough, the grooves 18 being located closely adjacent to the upper end of the respective members 17.

A resistor member 19, made of relatively heavy wire or rod, is preformed to comprise a plurality'of return-bent straight portions all lying in one plane. The straight portions extend through the cooperating pairs of grooves 18 in the members 17,'as lllustrated more particularly in Fig. 3 of the drawing, and extend therebetween, the resistor member being distributed substantially uniformly over the entire surface of the skeleton metal frame 12. Pins 21 and 22 are provided at each end of the members 13, 14 and 15 in order to prevent movement of the members 17 longitudinally of the groove 16, the pins 21 and 22 serving to maintain the members 17 in their proper operat-ive positions, as' illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing, 19 is properly of the frame 12.

Referring more particularly to the modification illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, a skeleton'metal frame 23 may be of substantially the same construction, as hereinbefore described and as shown in Fig. 1, with theexception that grooves 24, 25 and 26 are provided at the two ends of the skeleton metal whereby the resistormember supported above the surface frame and at the intermediate portion there- .cylindrical grooves 28, in the upper surface,

extend laterally thereacross.

which grooves A top member 29, also of refractory electric-insulating material is located above the fmember 27 and is provided with a plurality of cooperating semi-cylindrical grooves 31 having the same spacing as, and cooperating with, the grooves 28. As herelnbefore of the members 27 and 29 may be-equal to the.length of the respective pairs of cooperating mem liar y with reference to molding the members substantially entirely bare, but that is, never-- 27 and 29. Suitable openings 32 and 33 ex- 29 and securing means 34 extend through the metal of the frame 23 at the grooves 24,

25 and 26 and through the refractory sup:

porting members in order to ,securely clamp the two refractory members together and to hold a resistor member 35 therebetween. The resistor member 35 is substantially the same as was hereinbefore described for the resistor member 19. Nuts 36 have screw- .threaded engagementwith. the respective bolts 34 to maintain the clamping action.

The device embodying my invention thus provides a heating: unit that may be adapted to a large variety of uses. wherein it is desired to employ a resistor member that is theless, provided'wlth a supporting means that will permit of easily and quickly mounting it in place or of removing it therefrom. It is, of course, obvious that the skeleton metal frame may be provided with extended lugs in order to permit of securing it inits proper operative position relative to the device with which it is to be associated.

While the form illustrated more 'particularly in- Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, provides re-.

sistor-supporting means that are independentof any individual securing means, it may not always be desirable to employ this construction by reason of the fact that a damaged refractory member cannot be easily and uickly removed laterall of the face of the s eleton metal frame. l illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 permitsof especially easy and quick assembly and disassembly while still roviding a resistor member substantially t e entire length of which is uncovered and which may,"therefore radiate heat directly to the heat-receivingwmeans with which it is operatively associated.

Various modifications may be'made in the he modified form part'ng from the spirit and scope thereof and I desire that all such modifications shall be included in the appended claims which are p to be limited only by the prior art. tend laterally through the members 27 and I claim as my inventioniz 1. electric heating unit comprising a skeleton metal frame havinga plurality of arallel-extending grooves therein located .elow the surface of the frame, refractory res1stor-support1n members in said grooves and projecting a (We the surface of said frame and having laterally-extending grooves therein, and a relatively heavy prermed resistor member extending through the mem ers,and therebetween to support 'sai resistor 1n a single plane above sa1d frame. 2.'An electric heating unit comprising}:

ooves 1n said-refractory supportingv skeleton metal; frame having a plurality of spaced parallel open grooves therein, coop- .eratmg pairs oOfTefractory members,f ofielectric-insulatin I material, located in said grooves an having laterally-extending grooves therein, and'a I preformed resistor skeleton metal frame having a pluralit of spaced open grooves therein, bars of re ractoryf electric-insulating material, having spaced, laterally-extending grooves in one face, located in said grooves, coopera ing bars of refractory electric-insulating ma- 'terial havinglaterally-extending grooves in one'fac'e located on said .firstbars with'the grooves thereon in alined positions, a resistor member extending throu h said-bars and therebetween, and means or clamping said cooperating. bars together,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 11th day ofJune,"

JAMES cQwoop'sou. I 

